Diabetic Training

It's summer and for many that means camp. Basketball, soccer, math. You name it, there's a camp for just about anything --- including diabetes.

Laurie works at a Chicago law firm, but today she is on vacation and far away from any kind of a courtroom and her peers. With the help of a medical team and loads of technology, she is learning about her stamina, every nuance of her body, and how to live a long and healthy life with diabetes.

In fact, Laurie is not alone. Another woman from Utah wants to know how far to push her body before starting an exercise routine.

Then there's a New Yorker who wants to run marathons, but he's not sure about his limits.

Laurie says " It was hard. With the masks and everything, hard to breathe. You're out of your normal environment and it's a lot of stress."

Dr. Matt Corcoran is an Endocrinologist and working with Lauie. "We're looking at her level of fitness and how much oxygen she takes in and carbon dioxide she blows out so we can actually teach her what zones she should exercise in."

Many of those taking part in the diabetic sports training camp at Elmhurst College are in the Chicago area from England, Ireland and as far away as Israel."

The 35-clients are all here to control their blood sugars, their insulin levels, and their diet --- sometimes with the aid of hi-tech devices.

Dr. Todd Cabanban is also an Endocrinologist. He says clients could be somewhere fun but they choose to be at the training camp. When he asks them why they say for their health and for their family.

The next international diabetes sports training camp will be held in Colorado in September.

To see video of this story visit www.KHQ.com/Diabetes and click the video player on the right of the page.